FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS - PAGE 3

WASHINGTON: India does not retaliate despite Pakistan-backed terrorist attacks against it because of the deterrence of nuclear weapons that the two countries possess, an American defence expert has said. "All the terrorism that Pakistan has supported against India has been carried out, secure in the knowledge that India cannot retaliate," Stephen Blank, Research Professor of National Security Affairs at the Army War College , said. "If Pakistan had no nukes, if there were no nukes on the South Indian peninsula, India could retaliate and probably would.

WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta fears that there is a danger of Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists if terrorism is not controlled in the country. "The great danger we've always feared is that if terrorism is not controlled in their country, than those nuclear weapons could fall into the wrong hands," Panetta told reporters at a Pentagon news conference here yesterday. Panetta was responding to questions on a recent Congressional report which said Pakistan is increasing its nuclear capabilities, which are mainly targeted towards India.

By Mike Bird Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to use tactical nuclear weapons in Europe to stop any NATO expansion, according to an ex-CIA bureau chief. Robert Dannenberg , who was once Chief of the Central Eurasia region for the Central Intelligence Agency , said that "nuclear weapons are not off the table" in Europe during an interview with Goldman Sachs researchers, which the bank published today as a note to investors. Dannenberg is now head of the office of global security at Goldman Sachs.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear weapons programme in the world and by 2020 it could have enough fissile material to produce more than 200 nuclear devices, a top American think tank has said. "Though many states are downsising their stockpiles, Asia is witnessing a buildup. Pakistan has the fastest-growing nuclear programme in the world. By 2020, it could have a stockpile of fissile material that, if weaponized, could produce as many as 200 nuclear devices," Council on Foreign Relations has said.

WASHINGTON: North Korea has nuclear weapons capable of delivering by ballistic missiles, an unclassified US intelligence report says, amid heightened tensions in the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's saber-rattling. "DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency ) assesses with moderate confidence the North Korea currently has nuclear weapons capable of delivering by ballistic missiles, however the reliability will be low," Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn said during a Congressional hearing yesterday.

SEOUL: US President Barack Obama today warned that the threat of nuclear weapons remains a challenge as there are still "too many bad actors in search of these dangerous materials", asserting that the world's security depends on the actions that the global community takes. "There are still too many bad actors in search of these dangerous materials, and these dangerous materials are still vulnerable in too many places," Obama said at the Nuclear Security Summit here.

WASHINGTON: The global community should not forget the dangers posed by Pakistan's nuclear weapons and its two new heavy water plants capable of producing 24 atomic warheads a year, a top former British official has said. Liam Fox , the former British Defence Secretary , said the international community should not risk to forget Pakistan, which was not a stable country. "Here in Washington, with all the focus on Iran at the present time, people seem to have forgotten that Pakistan is sitting on something like 120 nuclear warheads and has recently brought into play two new heavy water plants that will enable them to produce about 24 nuclear warheads a year from now on," he said.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan may use nuclear weapons against India if the latter goes for a large scale military assault against it in retaliation for a major terror attack emanating from across the border, two top American experts have warned US lawmakers. Given the presence of a strong government in New Delhi and the pressure on it from Indian citizens in the event of a repeat of 26/11 type terror attack, the ties between the two neighbours have greater danger of escalating towards a devastating nuclear warfare, in particular from Pakistan.

NEW DELHI: Pitching for "progressive steps" to de-legitimise nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said a meaningful dialogue was needed among countries having atomic weapons to build trust and reduce the dangers of their accidental or unauthorised use. In his message to the 'Global Zero Summit' in London being held from today, he said the goal of nuclear disarmament can be achieved by a step-by-step process underwritten...

UNITED NATIONS: Asserting that nuclear-armed states have not made progress in eliminating their atomic weapons stockpiles, Iran has asked such countries to immediately cease their plans to further invest in modernising and extending the life span of their nuclear arsenal. "The nuclear weapon states have not made progress in eliminating their nuclear weapons. The role of nuclear weapons in security policies of the nuclear weapons-states has not diminished," Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs Javad Zarif said at the 2015 NPT Review Conference here yesterday.